Montana man gets 10 years in prison for woman’s death

January 31, 2019

POLSON, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man accused of throwing a woman to her death from a moving vehicle has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Missoulian reports 23-year-old Joseph Parizeau was sentenced Wednesday after previously entering an Alford plea to criminal endangerment, acknowledging prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him but not admitting guilt.

Prosecutors say Parizeau threw 24-year-old Cassandra Harris from a truck near McDonald Lake in northwest Montana last June. She was found several hours later and died at a hospital.

Lake County Attorney Steve Eschenbacher originally charged Parizeau with negligent homicide and witness tampering for allegedly trying to keep three other companions that night quiet.

But he amended the charges because he was concerned the medical evidence and witness testimony wasn’t enough to secure a conviction.